British education reform issues center on raising English language standards for both written and spoken communication, and raising mathematics and science standards.
Reform recommendations include simplifying student testing, emphasizing whole class and subject-specific teaching, extensive teacher training, broadening the curriculum to bridge vocational and academic education, aiding schools in Britain's poorest areas, and a nursery education voucher system.
US education reforms include developing a new national curriculum, promoting competition and parental choice in schools, and opening new business-funded schools.
A first ever national examination system is proposed to measure progress.
More states are now establishing standards on schools, describing and defining what students must know in order to graduate.
Japanese educators are concerned that the current curriculum overemphasizes memorization while neglecting creative thought.
Singapore needs to make its education system more conducive to innovation and creativity, rather than rote learning.
Brazil's education system must raise standards for teachers and students and improve management and teaching by using World Bank money.
Many Hong Kong schools have mixed speaking Cantonese in classrooms with using English textbooks and exams.
Consequently, both language standards have slipped.
Proposed language testing before secondary school would allow students with sufficient skills to be instructed in English, while the rest would be taught in Chinese.
Kenya's high school graduates are not well prepared for the workforce.
To remedy this, the government will add agriculture, business, home science, and crafts to the academic subjects.
It also has created a ministry to support technical and vocational schools in the country.
